Door fastener



Sept. 16, 1941. w. M, DWYER DOOR FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 mm, Wilda 112MB) a y W Sept. 16, 1941.

w. M. DWYER DOOR FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1940 5 Sheets- Sheet; 2

Sept. 16, 1941 w. M. DWYER DOOR FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Invniar William Mflwyefl Patented Sept. 16, 1941 UNETEDSTATES ,5 PATENT OFFICE 2,255,919 noon FASTENER William M. Dwyer,Chicago, 111., assignor to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill-., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationFebruary 14, 1940, Serial No. 318,905

10 Claims. 901. 70-145) M body being broken away. Figure 4 is a verticalThis invention relates to door fasteners for refrigerator automobiletrucks having hinged doors, and more particularly to fasteners which areoperative to hold the doors closed when the same are slammed shut.

One object of the invention is to provide a door fastener for hingeddoors of refrigerator trucks, comprising manually operated means forpositively camming the door either open or closed, wherein said means isalso effective to automatically fasten the door when the same is slammedshut.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door fastener for hingeddoors of truck bodies which is effective to securely fasten the door inclosed position when the same is slammed shut, and which may be releasedfrom the interior of the body of the truck, so that the door may beopened by the attendant in the event of his being confined in the truckby accidental slamming shut of the door.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a doorfastener for hinged doors comprising a lever actuated, rotary operatingmember having eccentric cam means adapted to engage with slotted keepermeans for forcing the door tightly closed and prying the same open,wherein the keeper means is yieldingly movable and operates as a springlatch to permit engagement therewith of the cam means to automaticallylatch the door when the same is forc ibly slammed shut.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a door fastener ofsimple and rugged design, comprising a lever operated rotary mem- 1 berhaving eccentric keeper engaging cam means thereon adapted to cooperatewith the slot keeper.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from thedescription and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure l is abroken side elevational View of 'a portion of the wall of the body of arefrigerator automobile truck, the wall being provided with an openingwhich is closed by a single door, said view illustrating my improvedfastener in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure1, on an enlarged scale, of a fragment of the door and side wall of thetruck body, illustrating the improved fastener more in detail. Figure 3is a vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 33of Figure 2, showing the improved fastener in elevation, the inner sideof the wall of the truck sectional view, corresponding substantially tothe line 4-4 of Figure 2, the door being shown broken to more readilyaccommodate the figure to the sheet of the drawing. Figure 5 is anelevational view, looking from right to left in Figure 4. Figure 6 is avertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 66 ofFigure 2. Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view, correspondingsubstantially to the line l'| of Figure 2. Figure 3 is a verticalsectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 88 of Figure 3,illustrating a portion of the fastener shown in said figure. Figure 9 isa view, similar to Figure 6, but showing the parts in differentposition.

In said drawings, I0 indicates the side wall of a chamber, such as thebody of a refrigerator automobile truck. The wall Iil has the usual dooropening ll closed by a single door [2. The door 12 is of the swingingtype and is supported by a pair of hinges I3l3 secured to the wall It)at one side of the door opening.

My improved door fastener comprises broadly a keeper housing A; arockable or pivoted keeper B; a spring C yieldingly opposing rocking ofthe keeper B; akey controlled lock D; a lever supporting housing E; anactuating lever F for rocking the keeper from the interior of theautomobile refrigerator body; an actuating rod G connected to the leverfor swinging the keeper B; a supporting bracket H on the outer side ofthe door; a keeper engaging crank member K journaled in said bracket;and an actuating handle lever L fixed to said crank member.

The housing A includes a base plate 14 by which the housing is securedto the wall Ill of the truck body. Upstanding from the base plate I4 arespaced, parallel, longitudinal walls I5 and I6 forming the side walls ofthe housing, and spaced, inclined, transverse walls ll-I'| forming thetop and bottom or end walls of said housing. The front of the housing ispartly closed by inclined wall sections I8l8 at the top and bottomthereof. The wall sections I8| 8 are continuous with the end wallsl'll|. The front of the housing A is thus provided with a centralopening l9 to permit entrance of the keeper engaging portion of thecrank member K, as hereinafter pointed out. The side wall l6, which isthe wall adjacent the door opening H, is cut away, as most clearly shownin Figures 4 and '7, to provide an opening 20 to accommodate the keeperengaging portion of the crank member K for movement into and out of thehous- 5 ing. The back of the housing is open, as indicated at 2!, thebase plate i l being cut out for this purpose.

As shown most clearly in Figure 6, the lower front wall section It ofthe housing is thickened,

and said thickened portion presents a substantially fiat abutment face22. there is provided an inwardly projecting centering boss 23 adaptedto engage within the end of the spring C to center the latter. The sidewalls l5' and E6 of the housing A are provided On said face 22 withtransversely aligned, outwardly projecting, 1

inwardly opening pockets 2:: and 25 adjacent to opposite ends of a pivotpin 26. The opening at the back of the housing A isenIarg'ed at thelower end portion of said housing to provide clearance to admit entranceof the pin 26 and placing of the same in the seats 24 and 25.

The keeper B is in the form of a rocker comprising spaced, platelikesections 27 and 28 connected'by transverse webs 29 and 38 defining anoutwardly opening card slot 3i therebetween. Theinner endsof the walls29 and 39 are-conneoted by a rounded portion 32 "which closes theaslotat its inner end. The wall 28 is shorter than the wall 38, as clearlyshown in Figuresfi and 9, and is thickened at the mouth of the slot,

' the base of said housing, providing seats for design, being in theform of a bolt having a projecting locking pin portion 4| adapted toengage through the perforation 39 of the keeper B to lock said keeperagainst rocking movement. As is well known in key operated locking meansof this type, the lock is spring pressed, and when unlocked projectsoutwardly beyond the sleeve 39. Tojoperate the same to lock the rockingkeeper B, it is pressed inwardly to engage the pin 4! in the opening 39of the keeper, the plunger and the pin being held in the lockingposition by the usual well-known means comprising a spring presseddetent engaging in a locking socket or recess in the projection on thewall l5 of the housing A. When unlocked by the usual key inserted in themember D, the spring action of thus providing an inclined cam face-33 atan angle to the-slot, for a purpose hereinafter pointed out. The keeperB is further'provided with atail' portion 3i formed by continuations ofthespaced platelike sections and thetrans- 'The tail portion 64 has'a'seat verse wall 3!]. 35 opposite to the abutment face 22 of thehousing, and this "seat hasa spring centering boss 35 projectingtherefrom, On the inner side, that is, the side opposite tothat'provided with the .boss, the tail portion 34 is recessed or,socketed,

as indicated at'Bl, to providea seat'for the outer end of the actuatingrod'G. The platelike section 28 closes the corresponding side'of" theslot 35 and the plate 21 is slotted in registration, with the slot 3i,toraccomrnodate the keeper engaging portion of the crank member K for in'andfout V movement. At'the inner side of the keeper B,

the edges of the platelike sections are"v recessed, as indicated, toprovide pivot seats 38'33 adapted toe'ngage'over the pin 25 to supportthe keeper B forrocking' movement. The keepenwhi'ch 'is pivotallysupported on the pin 26" within the 7 housing A, normally bears againstthe innerside Q as clearly of the top wall 53 of the housing, shown inFigure 6.

The spring 01s of helical form and interposed 7 between theab-utmentjzof the wall '58 at the lowerend portion of the housing A andthe tail 3of the rocker B. This spring is heldin cen- "teredpositionfby the bosses23 and as of t e housing A and rocker B respectively, the expansiveaction of the spring normally holding the rocker B in the position shownin Figures 1,' 2, 3, 4, and 6 with the face of theenlarged portion ofthewall 29 which carries the cam face 33 abutting the wall E5 of the'housing, with the cam fac exposedibeyond the end edge of said wall,The-platelike section 2% is perforated, as

. indicatedattil, to receive'the locking projection of, the, keyoperatedlook D, as hereinafter described; The perforation is located betweentheopposed sidewalls of the slottl of said keeper B. 3 The key controlledlocking member D ismountledinafsocket provided bye. cylindrical, tubularprojection on the wall 15 of the housingiA. This k'eycontrglled lockingmember is of well-known the lock retracts the pin 4! while the lock isbeing projected to its outer position, thus unlocking the rocking keeperB.

Thehousing A may be secured to the wall It] by'any suitable means, and,as shown, is held thereto by screws extending through the base-' likeplate portion M of said housing into the wall it,

The supporting bracket H comprises a plateally extending crank arm 46 atthe outer end thereof provided with a keeper engaging lug 47. The lug t!is preferably of the oross sectional outline shown in Figure 6, the samebeing in the form .ofja cylindrical pin having one 'side flattened, assliownfto provide a straight face 63 thereon; The shaft 45 has acylindrical portionifiltfadja'cent the crank aria 1 46 journaled inthejopening of the bearing element 43, a cylindri calportion 58 at theother end, and an inter mediate'portion 5!- of angular cross section.The,

portion5 l' is ofv smaller diameter than the section 49 and rotatablyfits the bearing opening of the bearing element 44, which opening isalso 1 of smaller diameter than the opening of the b earingielement 43.The cylindrical portiontil of the shaft isprovided with, an annulargroove 5-2 between its ends. A pin 53 extending through 7 suitableopenings of the bearing element 3d and engaged in said groove 52 holdsthe shaft against accidental removal in endwise direction;

The operating handle lever L has an enlarged head portion 54 at itsinner endprovided with an opening 55 of angular crosssection whichsnugly fits theangular portion 51 of the shaft :25. ;.;The handle leverL is thus securely fastened to the shaftdE to rotate the latter as saidhandle.

lever is swung toward and away from the door.

The housing E ccmprisesaaxplatelike base portion 55, spaced side wallst'i-fil and spaced end walls. 5, 8+58 outstanding from said base plate,andian 'inciined outer wall 58. The housing is open at the. innersidefasindicated at 6i], and

'also'jhas an opening ti'in the outer wall 59 and 'the bottom end wall58 thereof'to accommodate ltl'ielever' E for swinging movement. The housmg :Eis secured to the inner side'offthe wall it of the truck bodyadjacent the opening [I in horizontal alignment with the bottom endportion of the housing A which is at the outer side of said wall. Anysuitable means, such as screws, extending through the base plate 56 ofthe housing E and into the wall i0, serve to secure said housing inposition.

The operating lever F is pivoted between its ends on a pivot bolt 62fixed in the side walls 51-51 of the housing E and extending through apivot opening in said lever. The lever comprises a short arm 63 and along arm '64 extending at an angle to each other in opposite directionsfrom the pivot point of said lever. The long arm 64 extends through theopening 6| of the housing and forms the handle member of the lever. Theshort arm 63 is forked at its outer end, as indicated at 65, the arms ofthe fork being provided with aligned pin receiving openings.

The rod G is in the form of a cylindrical bar headed at one end, asindicated at 66, said headed end being perforated to provide an eyeportion. The rod G is pivotally connected to the short arm 63 of thelever F at said headed end 66 by a pivot pin 67 extending through theopenings of the forked portion 65 and the eye-shaped headed end 66 ofsaid rod, which headed end is accommodated between the arms of the fork.

The rod G extends freely though a bore or opening 68 provided in thewall ID, as clearly illustrated in Figure 9, said opening serving as aguide for the rod and is so placed as to hold the rod properly alignedwith the tail portion 34 of the keeper B and allow the seating of theend of the rod in the socket 31 of said keeper. The bore 68 is of amplesize to provide the required clearance for angling of the rod as it isoperated to swing the keeper B on its pivot.

The operation of my improved door fastener in opening the door, assumingthe door to be in the locked position shown in Figures 1 to 8 inclusive,is as follows: The key controlled lock D is first unlocked in the usualmanner, thus withdrawing the pin 4| from looking engagement with thekeeper B. The withdrawal of the pin 4| also frees the keeper engagingcam lug 41' of the crank member K so that the latter may be rotated topry the door open. In this connection it is pointed out that the pin 4|protrudes into the cam slot of the keeper B, as clearly indicated inFigures 6 and 8, in the path of swinging movement of the cam lug 41,thereby locking the crank member K against rotation.

After the cam lug 41 has been cleared for operation by withdrawal of thepin 4|, the attendant swings the handle lever L away from the door andupwardly, thereby rotating the keeper engaging crank member K. Thekeeper engaging cam lug is thus swung against the inclined rear wall ofthe cam slot of the keeper B, thereby camming the door partly open. Thedoor may then be manually swung fully open in the usual manner.

The door may be closed by either moving the same to partly closedposition and then forcing it tightly closed by operation of the keeperengaging crank member, or by slamming the same shut, therebyautomatically locking the door by the latching action of the keeper.

Di closing the door by actuation of the crank member, the operation-isas follows: The attendant first swings the door to partly closedposition to bring the keeper engaging crank member K into cooperativerelation with the keeper B.

While theldoor is being swung to this position, the operating handlelever L may be in the pendant position shown in Figures 1' to 5 in-vclusive. However, it is preferable that the same be raised to a positionat right angles to the plane of the door so. that the keeper engaging1ug41 of the crank member K is rotated to a position of alignment withrespect to the entrance of the slot 3| of the keeper B so that it willenter this slot as the door is pushed to partly closed position. In theevent that the lever has been left in pendant position while the door isbeing swung to partly closed position, the lever must then be raised tohorizontal position to align the keeper engaging lug 41 of the crankmember K with the slot of the keeper so that the cam lug may cooperatewith the slot :of the keeper. The actuating handle lever L is then swungdownwardly and toward the door, thus rotating the crank member K in areverse direction to that hereinbefore described, causing the cam lug 47to enter the cam slot 3| of the keeper B and swing against the inclinedouter wall of said slot to cam the door inwardly to tightly closedposition. In thus camming the door shut, the flat portion 43 of the camlug will be brought into flat face contact with the inner surface of thefront wall of the slot 3| of the keeper, thereby locking the crankmember against accidental rotation. After the door has been thus tightlyclosed, the key actuated lock D is pressed inwardly by the attendant,thus engaging the locking pin 4| of said lock with the keeper B to lockthe same' against rocking movement, and further projecting said pin intothe path of swinging movement of the lug 41, thereby also locking thecrank member K against rotation.

In closing the door by slamming the same shut, the operation is asfollows: As the door is swung shunt by the attendant, the cam lug 41forcibly strikes against the keeper B, engaging the inclined cam face 33thereof, thus, through the camming action between said lug and cam face,swinging the keeper on its pivot against the resistance of the spring 0,as the lug rides along said cam face 33, as shown in Figure 9, until itclears the front wall of the keeper slot 3|, whereupon the keeper swingsback to its original position through the action of the spring C, in themanner of a swinging latch, over the lug 4'! to lock the door closed.The parts having thus reached the latched position shown in Figure 4,the attendant depresses the key controlled lock D to project the pin 4|thereof through the keeper B and into the path of movement of the lug 41of the crank member K to positively lock said keeper against rocking andthe keeper engaging crank member against rotation.

In the event that it becomes necessary to open the door from the insideof the truck body, due to the attendant becoming trapped by the dooraccidentally swinging shut and latching in the manner hereinbeforedescribed, the door may be readily opened by actuating the lever F. Asthe lever F is swung upwardly and away from the wall of the truck body,the plunger G is projected outwardly against the tail of the keeper B,thereby swinging the latter on its pivot and withdrawing it fromoperative latching engagement with the lug 4'! of the keeper engagingcrank member K, whereupon the door may be pushed fully open.

As will be understood this interior operating means is only foremergency use when the door accidentaliy'slains shut and becomeslatched, as it cannot be operated so long as the keeper B is locked infixed position by the key controlled lock D.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferredmanner of carrying out my invention, but the same'is merely illustrativeand I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a fastener for a hinged door of a container,-the combination witha keeper engaging crank member mounted on the door; of a keeper mountedon the container adjacent the door,

said keeper having a guide slot provided with opposed walls, said crankmember being engageable within the slot of the keeper and having cammingengagement with the walls thereof to force the door either partly openor tightly closed,

said keeper being spring resisted to permit yielding of said keeper whenengaged by said crank member upon said door being slammed shut.

{2. In a fastener fora hingeddoor of a container, the combination with arotary crank member mounted on the door, said crank member having aneccentric cam lug thereon; of a spring actuated latch member mounted onthe container in the path of movement of said cam lug during swingingmovement of said door to closed position, said latch member having aslot having side walls within which said cam lug is engageable, said camlug having cammi'ng engagement with the walls of said slot to force thedoor closed when said crank member is rotated in one direction and toforce the door open when said'crank member is rotated in a reversedirection. V i i 3.,In a fastener for a hinged door of a container, thecombination with a rotary member having an eccentric cam lug thereon; ofmeans for latching said door in closed position comprising a pivotedkeeper adapted to swing into latching engagement with said eccentric camlug tohold the door in closed position; and manually-controlled means,actuated from within the ,,container for swinging said keeper out of engagement withthe cam lug to permit said door to be swung open, said camlug forcibly camming said door shut 'oropen by engagement with saidkeeper by rotation of said member in reverse directions.

4. In a fastener for a hinged door of a container, the combination witha keeper engaging crank member mounted: on the door; of 'a yieldinglymounted slotted keeper with which said crank member is engageable to prythe door open or force the same tightly closed, whensaid crank memberisrotated in reverse directions, said into, the path, of movement ofsaid crank member.

to, lock the latter against rotation indoor opening direction.

5, In a fastener for a hinged door of a'jcontainer, the combination witha rotary operating member mountedon the door, said member having aneccentric keeper engaging cam thereon; of-a keeper swingingly mountedon'said container,

' said keeper having a slot provided with opposed walls between whichsaid cam is engageable; a cam face on said keeper with which said camhas engagement when the door is being slammed shut; and spring meansyieldingly resisting swinging movement of said keeper.

6; In a fastener for a hinged door of a con tainer, the combination witha rotary operating member mounted on the door, said rotary member havinga cam lug eccentric to its axis of rotation; of a keeperion'saidcontainer having an outwardly opening, inclined cam slot provided withside Walls between which said cam lug is engageable; a cam face on saidkeeper at the entrance to said slot and in the path of movement of saidcam lug when the door is being slammed shut; a pivot on which saidkeeperis swingingly supported; swinging movement of said cam lug.

7. In a fastener for a hinged door of a container, the combination witha keeper; of pivot means on which said keeper is rockingly supported,said keeper having head and tail portions at opposite sides of saidpivot; a spring pressing on said tail portion to yieldingly hold saidhead 1301',

tion outwardly away from the container, said head portion being slottedto provide spaced Walls; a crank arm rotatably mounted on the door; anda crank pin on the outer end ofsaid arm engageable between the walls ofsaid slot of the keeper, said keeper being in the path of movement ofsaid crank pin when the door is slammed shut to be engaged by said pinand swung to register the slot of the keeper with the crank pin.

8. In a fastener fora hinged door of a container, the combination with ahousing fixed to the container adjacent said door; of a pivoted keeperwithin said housing, said keeper having a slotted head to provide aguideway having spaced side walls; spring means reacting between saidhousing and keeper for yieldingly pressing said head away from thecontainer; an operating crank member rotatabiy mounted on the door, saidcrank member having a cam lug thereon engageable between the side wallsof said guideway of the keeper; and cam'means on said keeper in the pathof movement of said cam lug andhaving camrning engagement with thelatter when rotatably mounted 'on the doonsaid crank memher including aneccentric keeper engaging lug;

of a keeper having acarn siot within which said lug is engageable; ahousingfixed to the container adjacent said door; means pivotallysupporting said keeper in the housing in the path of movement of saidkeeper engaging lug; spring means within the housing resisting pivotalmovement or the keeper; and a key-controlled lock on said housing havinga locking pin portion adapted to engage with said keeper to lock thesame against rocking movement, said pin extending into the slot of thekeeper to block rotary movement of zaid keeper engaging lug in dooropening 'direc ion. i

10. In a fastener for a hinged door mounted pin thereon;

of a housing fixed to the outer side of the conand a spring yieldinglyopposing tainer; a combined latch and keeper pivoted for swinngingmovement in said housing, said combined latch and keeper having aslotted head portion and tail portion, said head and tail being onopposite sides of the pivot of said keeper, said slot of the headreceiving the pin of said crank member to hold the door closed; a springinterposed between the tail of said keeper and a wall of said housing topress said tail inwardly toward said wall of the container to force saidslotted head outwardly away from said wall, a push rod extending throughthe wall of the container and engaging the inner side of the tail ofsaid keeper; and a handle lever pivoted on the inner side of said walland having a pivotal connection with said rod.

WILLIAM M. DWYER.

